Wheel and method of making same



W. H. SCHIRIVIER.

WHEEL AND METHOD 0F MAKING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1920.

Patented Nov. M, 1922.

.latented Neve l/Jl, lz.

vv. e. Monnmsrnn COMPANY, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO,

WHEEL nur Maanen or MAKING seran'.

Vapplicati@niet Julie 5, 192e. serial No. 386,345.

To all who/mt may concern.'

Be it known that l, vWILLIAM H. Sandmann, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Wheels and Methods of Making Same, of which the following is a specification, the principle ofthe invention being herein'explained and the best mode in which l have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

rlhe present invention, relating, as indicated, to wheels and method of making same, is directed to an improvement on the invention describedand claimed in the co-pending application of William B. Mcillister,

entitled Steering wheel and method of making same, filed February ll, 1920, Serial No. 357,936. In that application there is described a wheel or other curved article made by winding upon itself a thin strip of flexible material, such as veneer, and cementing or gluing the contacting` surfaces of such strip7 and allowing them to set in that condition.`

Th built up of a strip of thin material, such as veneer, in which the contacting surfaces of the material are cemented or glued together and allowed to set in that condition. I have found, however that substantially the same strength can be secured in such a wheel, and the same economy of manufacture, by the use of a series of strips instead of one, this series of strips being coiled in the same manner as the single strip. My improved wheel possesses one important advantage over that of the application referred to, in that several of the strips which are used may be of very inferior material, so long as at least one solid strip is used. This advantage is secured because as the several strips are each supported or backed up by the others the chance of breakage when a strip is bent at a weak spot or knot is practically elniinated. To the accomplishments of the foregoing and related ends. said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed -drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanisni embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one e present invention involves also a wheel of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

ln said annexed drawing F 1g. l is a plan view of a steering wheel constructed in accordance with my invention; F 1g. 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Fig. l; and 1g. 3 is a similar section of the same wall when turned down to the nished dimensions.

My improved wall is made by taking a series of strips of veneer l, 2, 3, and 4, of which, one strip7 such, for example, as ythe strip l, need be of good clear wood. while the other strips may be of an inferior grade wood, or may even be broken or cracked, without detracting from the strength of the linshed ring. l start to coil the strip l in any suitable manner.. and if convenient, usuall .about a suitable Amandrel. and after co1 ing this strip for a quarter of a revolution l insert between the strip and the mandrel a second strip of wood 2. After coiling these two strips through another quarter of a revolution l insert a third strip 3, and after finally ceiling through three-fourths of a revolution, a fourth strip t, after which all of the strips are coiled together, the resistance of these strips to bending serving to maintain them in close contact and tending to prevent the unwinding of the strips so long as the free ends are held. As the strips are coiled the contacting surfaces are given a coat of suitable cementing material, such as water-proof glue, and after the entire wheel has been coiled it is suitably clamped and allowed to set for a time sulficientV to harden the glue, after which the wheel may be turned down to any desired finished cross-section, which I have shown in Fig. 3.

The strips of veneer must be of a thickness allowing them to be bent to the desired radius of curvature without special preparation, such as soaking steaming and the like. What this thickness may be will accordingly depend upon the curvature desired. The approximate permissible ratio between the thickness of the strip and the radius of curvature should be not less than one to forty. ln vehicle wheels, steering wheels and articles of similar size the strips may vary from one'eighth of an inch downward. If the wheel is designed to constitute the rim of a steering wheel, as shown in Fig. l, the

various strips l, 2, 3 and 4 are provided with suitably arranged openings or notches, adapting them to tit over the beveled `ends 5 of the arm 6 of the spider 7 lof the steering ywheel, so that as the wheel is coiled itis formed about the spider and is thus permanently engaged therewith, and cannot be removed except by breakage of the entire rim.

It is desirable that the several strips used should start at 90 degree intervals around the wheel, and should terminate after making two or two and half turns around the wheel. Each of the stripsV 1, Q, 3 and t are beveled off, as shown at 8 for instance on the strip i, to a feather edge, and if the wheel is made in this manner the outer and inner walls of the wheel will be found to be prac tically concentric, and should require little, if any, turning down, except of course for the purpose ci' giving the Wheel the desired cross-sectional form.

Other forms may be employed embodying the features of my invention instead of the one here explained, change being made in the form or construction, provided the elements stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated elements be employed, whether produced by my preferred method or by others embodying steps equivalent to those stated in the following claims.

I therefore particularly distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a method of making annular artipoint out and,k

cles, the steps which consist in coiling a thin strip of veneer upon itself, and coiling a second strip with the first named while starting such second strip after the first.

2. In a methodrof making annular articies, the steps which consist in coiling a plurality of thin strips of veneer together into an annulus while starting such strips at intervals.

3. In a method of making annular articles, the steps which 'consist in ceiling a plurality of thin strips of veneer together into an annulus, and starting such strips 900 after each otherin such coiling.

fi. In a method of making annular articles, the steps which consist in ceiling a plurality of thin strips of veneer having bevelled ends together into an annulus, and starting such strips 900 apart.

5. An annulus comprising a series of strips of thin veneer cemented together, such strips starting at equidistant intervals around the periphery of said annulus and each strip having-overlapping contact with the adjacent strips and'having bevelled ends.

6. An annulus comprising a series of strips of thin veneer coiled about each other and cemented together, such strips having bevelled ends and each strip having overlapping contact withthe adjacent strips and terminating at equidistant intervals about such annulus.

Signed by me, this 2nd day of June, 1920.

WILLIAM IFI. SCI-IIRMER. 

